Lan Ling Wang, 兰陵王 Episode 12 Recap

LLW has one thing going for it in these episodes, its that things move faster than a energizer bunny rabbit. Even though Xue Wu believes that Si Ye’s main wife, the one he is fated to be with, the one named Lady Zhen, this episode is really fun. This is a good episode, even if it doesn’t have my Yu Wen Yong in it.

The House of Lan Ling Wang Si Ye is a flutter as everyone prepares for Si Ye’s arrive. Xiao Cui sasses the housekeeper about the strength of the tea. The Housekeep yells at everyone merrily saying that Si Ye spoils all the servants too much. Si Ye, An De Wang, and Xue Wu arrive. An De Wang tells everyone to call Xue Wu, Si Ye’s Wife. Everyone welcomes her warmly, and even has her room ready. Xiao Cui makes tea for Si Ye but Si Ye says rather morosely that he’s not thirsty. Xiao Cui asks why is Si Ye so unhappy?

Xue Wu goes to the room, and the housekeeper tells her that they are getting her garden ready. It’s customary for every wife of Si Ye’s to have a garden of her own. Xue Wu says that’s too much, since she won’t be here long the housekeeper looks at her confusedly. Si Ye listens outside, sad and upset. He goes in and asks if she’s that unhappy living in his house? So what if the Main Wife Choosing Ceremony occurs, does that mean he will really let her go? She’s still his concubine, is it bad if everyone treats her as his wife? Xue Wu replies that nothing every will go according to his will, he will definitely loose the bet. What’s the use of treating a passing person with the customs and politeness of a wife?

Si Ye gets mad and said fine, then she shouldn’t even live in a house for a wife, then she should go live in hut where they keep the firewood, she should leave right now. Xue Wu goes to grab her bag and Si Ye is suddenly contrite and apologizes, saying that he was only saying things in anger, please don’t leave!

Xue Wu replies that she knows, she’s only putting her bag on another place. He says that as long as he hasn’t married anyone, Xue Wu has not won the bet, so she shouldn’t be happy about it. When he leaves Xue Wue says, “idiot, how could I be happy about this”

An De Wang asks if Xue Wu and Si Ye are okay and Si Ye says it’s fine. He has another issue to discuss with An De Wang. Si Ye knows that after the battle of Luo Yang, he knows that the Crown Prince’s people want to kill him, so why are they trying to find him a wife. Si Ye says that he doesn’t really care about himself, but it’s about Xue Wu he worries about. He makes An De Wang promise to take care of Xue Wu, since all the other Generals are out in the field.

The Queen and Tai Pu are discussing finding a wife for Si Ye Lan Ling Wang. They want to separate Si Ye and Xue Wu, they need someone who has the backing of the Queen so that Si Ye is unable to oppose the match without offending her. They choose Zhen Er, who the Crown Prince also love. As it turns out Zhen Er has already met Lan Ling Wang once who had saved her when she had snuck out of the palace and nearly got caught. Zhen Er has already fell in love with Lan Ling Wang Si Ye, who had returned to her a golden hairpin.

Xiao Dong is out in the city trying to find a carriage for Xue Wu when a mysterious grandmother come up to him and tells him to give a letter to Xue Wu.

Xue Wu is in her room when a old lady comes in. The old lady tells her that she is Xue Wu’s new maid. The Old Lady tells her that Si Ye has never paid attention to a lady, so the old lady assumes that Xue Wu must be beautiful, but now that she sees her…. Xue Wu smiles and says that Si Ye’s tastes is one of a kind. The Old Lady says taht Xue Wu is truly one of a kind. Also if not for beauty then Xue Wu must have a really… good… body. She turns Xue Wu around and it’s awkward silence. She then offers to help Xue Wu prepare and wash. Xue Wu says it’s fine, she’s fine and the old lady says that she can’t not have work, even though she is old, she is strong. The Old Lady grabs Xue Wu’s butt really hard and Xue Wu screams. The Old Lady sighs taht she must be really old and weak, maybe it’s time to go back home. Xue Wu says no! No! grandmother is really strong, and grandmother should stay because grandmother reminds her of her own grandmother.

The old lady tells her that since the Wife Choosing Ceremony is starting, the other candidates have already started living in Si Ye’s house as well. Xue Wu is started and says that it’s happening so quickly.

Si Ye is awkwardly talking to the four seated women, who all come from amazing families such as generals and ministers. He smiles awkwardly and greets them. Xue Wu remarks from the door with the Old Lady that every one of the candidates come from good families and are beautiful, only the old lady thinks that Xue Wu is one of a kind. The Old Lady says nothing but shoves Xue Wu into the room. Xue Wu falls and skids into the room. The other lady candidates stand up and starts snarking on the “maid’ who was eavesdropping, and how rude she must be to fall into the room.

Si Ye says, “If you want to listen in, you should have come in. If you want to eavesdrop then you should do it better.” Xue Wu shoots back, “No… I was.. I was just passing by.” Si Ye gets up and says, “let me introduce you to these ladies, this is Lady Lo, Lady Liu, Lady Li… but there is no Lady Zhen.”

He grabs Xue Wu and is about to introduce her to the ladies when a soldier announces, “Si Ye, Lady Zhen has arrived”. Si Ye is stunned and looks at Xue Wu, who has a look of resignation on her face.

Zhen Er walks in, as lovely as dawn. She takes out the pin and Si Ye recognizes her has the girl he once helped in the palace. Si Ye introduces Xue Wu and all the girls except Zhen Er snark that Xue Wu is such a plain girl that the idea that she is the Heavenly Maiden is unbelievable. Only Zhen Er is nice to Xue Wu, to which the other girls snark some more.

An De Wang comes in with an order from the Dowager Queen, what is also know as the Royal Grandmother. As it turns out the Wife Choosing Ceremony is a competition between the five ladies. The first test is that each girl is to make a dish for the Royal Grandmother. Every girl is worried and Xue Wu happily says under her breath that these girls don’t look like they’ve ever washed vegitables in their life. It’s such a relief that she, Xue Wu is not going to be in these competitions. An De Wang interrupts her and says, “Actually sis-in-law, the Royal Grandmother wants you to compete as well”. He then announces that he has an Imperial Edict for Si Ye, An De Wang winks at Si Ye, who realizes that Royal Grandmother probably has something up her sleeve.

They all kneel, and An De Wang imitates Royal Grandmother with a feeble wobbly voice, saying that She is disappointed that Si Ye has not told her about the concubine he took, so if Yang Xue Wu does not pass the test in two days, then Xue Wu must leave Si Ye’s side. Xue Wu says that she can quit right now, that way she can leave right away. But An De Wang corrects her by saying that if she quits now, then she will be hit 100 times. The other girls laugh at Xue Wu, and Zhen Er who tries to help Xue Wu. Xue Wu decides, if she’s going to compete, then she will compete.

Xue Wu is trying to work out what she will make, she even gets ink all over her forehead. Xue Wu walks over to see all the candidates surrounding Si Ye and An De Wang, they are all complimenting the men and asking what does the Royal Grandmother likes. Si Ye refuses to tell the girls, saying the must work it out for themselves.

They see Xue Wu, with her inky forehead and laugh. Si Ye gets up, smiling and says that Xue Wu must really want to win, she’s even written on her own forehead. He grabs her and tries to rub off and he asks why does he just tell her what his Royal Grandmother likes.

Xue Wu gapes and claps her hands over her head, screaming, “I’m not listening, I’m not listening!” And Si Ye yells, “I’m definitely telling you! Only telling you!” She runs away as An De Wang tells the other girls taht Si Ye will only tell Xue Wu. When the girls leave angrily and Zhen Er a bit jealously, An De Wang asks if Si YE is really going to defy the royal edict and only marry Xue Wu.

Xue Wu runs back to her room and drinks water, and the Old Lady asks what’s wrong. Xue Wu offers the Old Lady tea. Xue Wu complains that Si Ye should not be paying so much attention to her. Grandmother says that Xue Wu is really strange. Xue Wu answers that Si Ye is destined to marry someone with the name of Zhen not her, since her name is Yang. If so, then why does Xue Wu try so hard? Xue Wu says that she tries because she wants to prove to herself that she can be Si Ye’s wife. The Old Lady resumes cleaning but coughs, Xue Wu comes to give the Old Lady a handkerchief and the Old Lady says that Xue Wu should make something from the heart. For Xue Wu’s actions, giving the old lady water and offering the handkerchief that shows heart. All Xue Wu needs to do is show that the Royal Grandmother is loved. The Old Lady tells Xue Wu to call her Fu Lao. Xue Wu gets an idea.

On the day of the test, the girls all bring elegant, costly dishes that are made of ingredients of the highest and richest quality. Only Xue Wu is late, and An De Wang asks where Xue Wu is. Si Ye assures him that Xue Wu really cares about this competition, she’ll definitely show up. An De Wang remarks, “the relationship you too have, you and Xue Wu can stun on watchers into stupidity” Even Zhen Er makes a porridge with added gold flakes. Si Ye sees that Zhen Er had cut herself and offers her some balm. Xue Wu runs in with 3 kinds of soup, she explains that it’s suppose to heal and sooth the Royal Grandmother’s appetite. Since all the other ladies made such rich dishes, Grandmother would definitely need something that is simple and clean. An De Wang compliments Xue Wu’s idea, and Xue Wu thanks Fu Lao, who gave her pointers.

An De Wang and Si Ye look at each other in confusion. They tell Xue Wu that Fu Lao, Si Ye’s nanny died 3 years ago. Xue Wu takes Si Ye to her rooms to find Fu Lao. Si Ye says that his old nanny came back from the dead to convince Xue Wu to stay. Si Ye grabs her hands and say that her hands are swollen. He says that he doesn’t believe Xue Wu doesn’t want to be with him. He asks if every girl from her village is hems and haws so much about liking someone. She says are all men so foward, that he can compliment other women for being so pretty? He asks if she is jealous, cuz she seems really jealous.

He tells her seriously that he will make all the girls go away, if she tells him that she will stay. Xue Wu reminds Si ye that Zhen Er is the Main Wife in the prediction. He says that his bet with her is still on, he will not marry Zhen Er, even if Zhen Er is the Queen’s person.

Xiao Dong comes and brings Xue Wu the letter from her grandmother. Xue Wu realizes that her grandmother is telling her to come home. Xiao Dong tells her that grandmother is meeting him one more time to work out the details and then Xue Wu will leave with Grandmother. Xue Wu hesitates, but says that since the Main Wife has appeared, she has no reason to stay anymore.

Thoughts: The predicted Lady Zheng, the one that Si Ye is suppose to marry. The bet between Si Ye and Xue Wu is coming to an end, as Xue Wu thinks she is about to win. She knows that someone named Zheng will marry Si Ye and while she wants to tell her self that she, Xue Wu is worthy, she can’t bring herself to stay by Si Ye’s side. Si Ye on the other hand is trying every trick in the arsenal to have her stay, and he would forgo all women if she just said the word. He pulling in and she’s pushing away.